JEDDAH: Depression is a common mental health disorder, affecting more than 350 million people of all ages worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2001, the WHO identified depression as the fourth leading cause of disability and premature death in the world. It is projected to become the leading cause of burden of disease by 2030.
Addressing the growing unmet need for developing better understanding of psychiatric diseases including major depressive disorder (MDD) in Saudi Arabia, the capital city, Riyadh recently hosted a national mental health forum supported by the Ministry of Health in which psychiatrists and experts provided profound insight into the proper management of MMD, consultancy guidelines and treatment options.
A new study found that the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia has a very high rate of major depression compared to the rest of the world almost 7 percent. This figure is especially concerning due to a recent link found between depression and patients' functional impairment. As the severity of depression increases, so does the level of impairment in social, familial and work role functioning.
Read MoreDrinking sweetened beverages -- either sugar-sweetened or diet -- may be linked with a slightly higher depression risk, while drinking coffee may slightly lower the risk.
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Hearing loss and mental decline are two common conditions of aging, and now a new study finds that they may be related.
Older people with hearing deficits were more likely than those with normal hearing to develop problems with memory and thinking over the course of the study.
On average, the study participants with hearing issues had significant mental impairments three years earlier than those without them.
Read MoreNormal Weight in People Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes Tied to Higher Risk of Early Death
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A traffic-light colour-coded blood test can reveal hidden liver damage caused by drinking above recommended alcohol limits, say experts.
The UK doctors who devised the test say anyone who regularly drinks more than three or four bottles of wine a week, for example, is at significant risk.
Ultimately, GPs could offer the test to patients, especially since many people do not recognise unsafe drinking.
Often damage is only noticed at a late stage as the liver starts to fail. Read More
